To Know Your Clan
by The Unpredictable Muse
Summary: Filling in the holes not explored or expanded upon in my other fanfictions, this is a series of one-shots character centered to better develop existing and created characters. Reference Living Shadows, Extermination, and my other stories if you are unfamiliar with these characters. (TBC at later date)
1. Calypso Snubbed

Lounging on a sleigh couch with a thick volume resting in her lap, the blond haired beauty casually flicked pages to the left after a minute or more of scanning. Cascading waist length blond hair flowed over her shoulder, loosely braided midway to the pointed end, where a bow adorned the hair tie holding the vibrant mane in place. A comfortable silence filled the common study. The pocket she currently resided boasted of forest green sleigh couch and an expensive Persian carpet. Other pockets like this one boasted similar seating arrangements and more Persian carpets. Shelves holding thousands upon thousands of books created a maze for the distracted or ignorant. None boasted the same beautiful woman leisurely enjoying an older book not having seen daylight for centuries.

Calypso looked up and smiled at one of the newly blooded servants. " Hello, Aimi-chan," She bowed her head respectfully.

Mortally killed in a car crash and only by the grace of a miracle, a samurai, on the then- hunt for a trio of Lycans that called themselves ' The Fang and Claw', raised her from the wreckage and escorted her dying body to the safety of the nearest hospital. When she flat lined, the samurai arranged for her 'body' to be turned over to one of the research companies renting space at the research building owned by the Murakami Clan. Once in the care of the morgue at the research building, her creator freed her of the temporary coffin and informed her of her new status.

Like most new bloods, Aimi couldn't stop enjoying every minute of the day until two weeks into her immortality she learned of the one fact that never changed – chronological age determined everything and held more sway than one's tongue or more intimate body parts, and in the more physically trained, their military prowess. Calypso enjoyed observing the comeuppance hit Aimi like a vicious curveball to an otherwise substantial lift in life status. In a way, everyone needed a comeuppance, and Calypso got hers every other day dealing with certain individuals that tested her tolerance, patience, and acceptance of socially unacceptable and borderline unethical actions that deserved justice.

Aimi, unlike the long lived Calypso, took advantage of the generosity bestowed upon her by her creator. Within less than a year, Aimi's creator learned first hand what it felt like to manage an unruly child. Nevertheless, with the utmost patience, Sato-kun guided her. Not intolerable, Aimi still acted like the other clan members. She walked right past the small pocket designated for readers wanting privacy without even a backward glance.

Rankled, Calypso paused mid-sentence. Smile turned into a frown as she considered the next course of action. Pursue the foolish new blood who should have at least acknowledged the greeting or remain where she was content with the history volume she'd been trying to read for the past two weeks without interruption? In the height of her frustration, she fingered the loose braid. Why did people see fit to disrespect her so much?

Was it the blond hair? The fact she wore it down in public most of the time instead of up, as tradition as dictated throughout nations throughout time? Maybe, just maybe, it had to do with the fact Daimyo Shino chose her as a child instead of a native to Japan or China or Korea?

Meh! Now she didn't even want to read. Putting the book onto the square metal stand next to the plush sleigh couch, the personal servant rose to her feet and headed for the private quarters of her creator and superior, Shino-sama. Maybe he could better advise her since she held no authority whatsoever.

Weaving her way through the pockets in the common study to main walkway, Calypso barely noticed Regent Hiro-Kun following her. " Calypso-kun," He called out.

Head whipped around and she nodded. She loathed Hiro and still afforded him the barest of respect.

" I heard you graduated from two languages to three now, Makoto-san will be most pleased," Hiro announced.

She stopped abruptly and turned her head as if it rested on a crank. " He will be, but I suspect our respected Lord will be more pleased," Moving her hands behind her back, she clasped them together and continued to eye him up suspiciously. " Who told you?"

" The test administrator," He answered simply, confused as to who she believed could have told him. " You are quite capable when you apply yourself,"

Stepping aside to allow a small group of servants to pass, the pair stood still. Calypso stared up at the head taller male with her head on a severe angle and Hiro faced her most calmly, both individuals on strange ground. Hiro needed to acknowledge her gain in knowledge, and she needed to acknowledge his respectful acknowledgment without a hint of sarcasm or disrespect. Neither liked the dilemma before them. Yet he did let one small compliment slip past his usual surliness.

Forcing a smile that resembled more of a grimace, she just nodded. " I hear you are quite fond of Mandarin yourself, but I find it to be a bit bothersome. I prefer Cantonese myself," Meaningless conversation that filled the silence comforted both individuals and emboldened Calypso. " How many languages are you fluent in, Regent? And most clan members for that matter. From the sheer lack of regard for my skills, I take they must be well educated," To be so judgmental, she mentally added, the forced smile actually turning into a genuine grimace.

" Two, and I have some experience with Taiwanese," Taller than Calypso by a head and older by four centuries, Regent Hiro gained his position as regent by faithfully serving Daimyo Shino, and occasionally Daimyo Kyosuke until the oldest, most effective samurai sacrificed himself to the sun to cleanse his name of the shame he brought upon it after two affairs came to the attention of his lover's long-time consort. Hiro, next in line to inherit the position, ascended with grace and honored the redeemed samurai in the ceremonial speech.

That was 207 years ago, well before her mortal birth.

Circling her hand in the air, the American born didn't linger long on why he didn't know more languages besides Mandarin, Japanese, and a little of Taiwanese. " And a typical member of the clan?" She pressed in a sickly sweet coo with a smug grin.

Both the Murakami and Reizei clan overwhelmingly embraced a policy of isolation. As the majority of members embraced it because they never knew another policy and disliked the watering down of the pure bloodlines throughout the mortal generations, the more practical reason for isolation rested on survival. Because of the isolationist attitude adopted by many the need to learn another language didn't really matter – unless you were in finances, management, or leadership. The bulk of the clan was not in finance or management, and leadership positions stayed consolidated within a single tier at the top of immortal society due to age requirements and coinciding requirements often glossed over.

Deciding he didn't want to provoke an easy argument, Hiro ended it before it started. " This is one point we all know you to be focused on, and you will soon eclipse us all if Our Lord has his way," He glanced around, a slight turn of his head indicating an escape plotted.

" You're right, soon I will know more languages than any other clan member, and yet what does it matter if a simple servant won't even respond to a greeting," Bowing, Calypso walked away before she let loose any of her more disgruntled thoughts. Heels digging into the carpeted stone floor as she followed the path once more to the private quarters of Daimyo Shino.

If graduating from two to three languages didn't earn her the acknowledgment of other servants, who did she have to kill to earn a little fear? Obviously 'sleeping' her way up the ladder gained no true foothold for her, although if Makoto ever heard her repeat those words, he might make her divulge who spoke of a matter they knew nothing about. He chose her, she didn't him.

No matter how many times he declared this in an obvious possessive, overconfident manner, she failed to become enraged. She adored Makoto too much. It didn't hurt that as a respected samurai, his word held weight. Sadly not even the weight of his words dispelled the theories for why he declared what he declared. She bewitched him, many said. In truth, he bewitched her. She never stood a chance at deflecting his charms. As one of few who accepted her as she was, along with Daimyo Shino and Kyosuke, Makoto unwittingly earned her undying loyalty and concern.

" Calypso-san!" Hiro called after her.

She kept walking. If a servant refused to acknowledge her, she refused to humor Hiro.

In retrospect, she should have stopped and listened to him. In retrospect, it might have benefitted them both.


	2. Makoto's Failed Mission

Makoto dashed down the alley after the humanoid lycan, feet kicking up as he pulled inner energy into his every breath and muscular exertion till he gained ground for every step he took. Puddles from last night's rain splashed out and upward onto black water proof steel-toed boots. One hand reached for a throwing star, fingers plucking the pouch clasp open and finding the smooth metal it sought. Made of pure silver, the throwing stars killed more lycans and could be re-used for a future lycan hunt.

Except this hunt he expected an ambush at a certain point. Running along the parallel alley, Selene raised her berettas and unleashed a hellish spray of silver bullets onto the unfortunate lycan in front. The first bullet struck his left calf, dropping him out of the full on sprint. Makoto's throwing star sunk into the shoulder of the fleeing female, instinctively drawing a smirk to his lips. Before he could appreciate his successful hit, a second lycan dropped from the rooftop landing atop his shoulders. Only vampire strength kept him from fully crumpling to the ground.

Knees pressed into the ground, every instinct in Makoto's body screamed for him to fight back. The fully transformed beast never stood a chance against his comrade's silver katana. As soon as the weight incrementally lifted from his shoulders, he burst upward with another throwing start. Letting out a yell at the sight of the escaped female, Makoto whipped around to find three lycans fully transformed tearing apart Tao. Letting loose his remaining six throwing stars, he reached for the katana at his waist. Beckoning on the two remaining, the suicidal male ignored the seemingly endless rounds being emptied on more lycan in full transformation by the beautiful Selene.

Good hunting partner. A shame she served Viktor, he thought as he raised the katana into a defensive position, fully aware he'd likely resort to using his personal protection weapon, the wazikashi. Tao's abandoned katana lay in a puddle, partially stained with lycan blood.

A roar assaulted his ears.

Backstabbing he cut the katana across empty air, keeping neutral ground between him and them. The first brave lycan lunged at him. Katana cut across upper chest, searing flesh highly allergic to silver. A counter swipe dug the tip deeper into the flesh, wounding the beast into a temporary retreat. Probably a newborn, Makoto theorized, staring down the second enraged lycan. Emboldened by the success with the first, he rushed forward cutting upward and back across to throw up a temporary block, he never noticed the two hulking lycan behind him.

One full clawed hand sunk into his side with a brutal gut punch. Only instinct kept the katana clenched in his hand. Searing pain shot up his side as blood flowed from the bloody gash torn wide. Raw muscle exposed to night air through torn leather burned as it healed. With the revered moon's kiss, Makoto briefly realized this was the escape planned for him and those that remained of his group. Selene's alternating spray of rounds moved further and further away from him.

Another hand grabbed his and yanked him around. With a vicious yank of his hand, the lycan nearly pulled his arm free of the socket. Unable to use his sword arm to defend himself, the pipe up side the head knocked Makoto out cold. Blood pooled in the valleys of the torn leather and out onto the ground before the second uninjured lycan kicked aside the katana and hoisted him off the ground, slinging him over his shoulder like another dead body to removed from the human notice.

Left in the wake of the failed hunt, two katana's lay in the alley. Selene, lured away by a separate attack party, tried to make her way back to the samurai Makoto and his team. Raze and his assigned help successfully kept her diverted long enough for Taylor and Pierce to capture Makoto and the disabled Park. By the time Selene reached the site of the ambush, she realized her error. Grabbing the katanas, stashing them on the dead body of the remaining two dead samurai, she radioed the back up.

Slinking back to the Living Base with failure flapping on the hem of her leather overcoat, she stopped short of the welcoming party. The pale faced blond haired personal servant held her stare for a moment and then looked away. Selene wanted to tell her something to take away that pain. Selene wanted to soothe the heartache that the loss of a nearly a century old love could bring. No words came to the rescue. The cold expression of Daimyo Shino warned her to keep her distance.

Sensitive hearing could not ignore the sobbing of the woman before Calypso turned and hurried for privacy. " I'm sorry," She dropped to one knee in front of Shino. " I'm sorry I have failed, but they planned this ambush," Gazing up at Shino, the 600 some year old female cringed. She half expected a backhand for allowing his favored child's lover to perish.

It did not come. " Not every success is permitted, and it is as we suspected,"

" Then why did you send us?" Selene demanded, a bitter bile rising in her throat as she realized people needlessly died for a speculation.

His cold expression revealed nothing. " Now that we know their numbers and their willingness to act against us, we can better plan against them. You have served well, Selene-san. You may take your absence now,"

Rising to her feet, Selene dared to step closer. Then stepped to the side and off to her guest quarters. She didn't need to start a war with the clan's leader. Not even Viktor could save her of the punishment they might inflict.

Hours later, Makoto woke to a boot into his side. Chained to the floor by wrists and ankles, the chains offered little more than three feet of distance. Still clothed in his hunting gear without his wasikashi, Makoto contemplated his future. Weren't they supposed to be his allies?! Pulling on the chains, he wanted to rush to his beloved's side and assure her he lived. Instead, he had to stare at the peeling ceiling of a makeshift cell as the smell of urine, hormones, and excrement reached his nose.

How did they exist in such filth? How did they not establish a home of their own to live in? Daimyo Shino and Daimyo Kyosuke rarely bothered their race. They had the ample opportunities to better themselves. How could they want to exist like this?

Footsteps echoed along the narrow corridor. Usually the sewer system was clean, and the infrastructure well tended to. This section must have scared off the maintenance crews. Fuck, man, fuck! He couldn't catch a break. At least the large columns restricted the lycans from creating a labyrinth difficult for his comrades to enter without certain death.

" You're awake," A voice crisp in what could be a british or Australian accent greeted him.

He cocked his head, saying nothing.

Lucian knelt to his level. " You serve Shogun Marcus?" Disdain colored the words definitely spoken in a british accent.

" We serve him, yes," Makoto answered, not allowing the relief to reflect in his answer. He would die for his clan if Daimyo Shino demanded it. He only served Marcus out of respect to Shino.

Revealing a key, Lucian removed one thick cuff keeping Makoto secured to the column. " You are survived by one other team member. Viktor's pet is unaware of the pact," He removed the other cuff upon seeing Makoto wouldn't' strike.

A crying shame, as Calypso might say, that Selene served Viktor so fervently. She might be an invaluable ally at this moment.

" What of my katana and wazikashi?"

" Your blades have been disposed of. They should be easy to recover by your fellow samurai," Lucian readily answered, hesitating to remove the ankle cuffs. He held the key out to Makoto but didn't let Makoto grab it. " You are serving me now, vampire. You would do well to remember that,"

Eyes burned blue as Makoto stilled his growing anger. Bad enough he'd lose Calypso to a marriage she'd never want, he'd have to answer to this fool. No, the injustice of it burned like the rays of sunlight. It didn't kill him physically, but it sure as hell made him consider seppuku. " I'm here to honor the pact, you should be so lucky to discover not all vampire are determined for your species extermination," Biting words replaced the wasikashi he wanted to wield.

A moment of understanding passed within Lucian. Lucian knew enough of the local history to know that of all the vampires, Daimyo Shino and Daimyo Kyosuke only cared for their clan's safety and privacy. He also knew this pact, an anomaly in itself, would never take place again. This opportunity, much better than any opportunity Kraven might present could finally give him what he wanted – Viktor's life. For all the years he's lived, Lucian only regretted he did not come to see serving the vampires as a slave as shameful before the rebellion actually took place.

While he may never actually be a true ally of the race, he might want to tone down his anger. A samurai did lower himself to his service, a most telling act. The Japanese were best known for their acts because they believed words meant little. " Forgive me, I am more accustomed to the less restrained." He finally relinquished the key. " I have your mission and new clothing when you're ready. Your new living reassignment is also ready whenever you're up to…cooperate," Much emphasis on the last word reflected the growing tension between the two men and their large egos.

Makoto ground his teeth together as he furiously unlocked the cuffs." What is this mission? I am not living in this-" He motioned to the sewers. " Even YOU are above that if you ever applied to yourself to a higher standard," Lucian tensed at the insult, and Makoto felt that much better. Good. He might actually better the lycans if he had to play at their level of savagery.

Leading Makoto along, Lucian scowled as he considered the unholy alliance all of them needed to swallow in order to defeat Viktor. " You're going to stalk Selene and her hunters once you've established your presence among the Lost. And then, you're going to return that information to me. You're purpose is to serve, not to question,"

" And you didn't slaughter the Lost, why?" Makoto demanded as he nearly ran into Lucian. The sound of vicious fighting called forth and encouraged by a crowd of people surely to attract the attention of humans above reached both men's ears.

Lucian's jaw worked back and forth in irriation. " They are not the threat here, and they never were. Our kind has always fought for survival, nothing more, something you are more familiar with than the cur of Viktor's coven," He spit out Viktor's name like venom. " We are not all animals,"

Except those acting like it now, Makoto withheld wisely. " And what of my weapons?"

" You were dis-"

" My new weapons," He pressed, grabbing hold of Lucian's arm and forcing him to partially turn. " If you expect me to go out onto the streets or exist among your kind unarmed, I refuse to make myself an easy target for your 'kind'," His nails dug into Lucian's flesh. " We are allies, remember. You better start treating me like one,"

Lucian's jaw once more worked back and forth. Makoto shared the same frustration. It seemed that neither man trusted the other nor wanted to cooperate. The threat of Viktor loomed over both of them, keeping both in check. " You'll find yourself re-armed when it necessary,"

" I will be re-armed now and never be disarmed again," Makoto nearly shouted, his eyes flashing blue once more. " Your kind killed two of my team. Tao and Park are dead. Li is likely to commit seppuku, and I'm sacrificing the woman I've cared for over 95 years to serve the defeat of Viktor. You better fucking well remember you aren't the only one making sacrifices and swallowing fucking pride here. Somewhere out there, a woman is mourning my loss. You are the reason she's going to be mourning, you better damn well show appreciation I don't have your head on a pike for it," He released Lucian's arm.

Something clicked inside Lucian, or perhaps it was the heightening of the volume of the fighting. " Go to the armory if you want armed,"

" Where the fuck is the armory?"

" Find it yourself!" Lucian shouted at him over his shoulder as the alpha lycan disappeared toward the noise to subdue it. Makoto breathed heavily starting to regret his utter devotion to the clan. At the very least he'd make them suffer as much they were going to make him suffer. He pressed his hand to his side where the claws tore him open before. It healed. Starting with that fucker.

**Alright, fun fact, apparently the Japanese sewer system is really clean. Well, that if you haven't noticed, I'm also using Chinese names as well as Japanese names. This is a sign of respect to the Chinese members of the clan. Shing, if you've read, is a Chinese male serving the former ronin now Daimyo Kyosuke, half-chinese, half Japanese.**

**Oh and the crude language – I'm American. We need to use it every now and then to get out frustration. I'm fairly certain the Japanese aren't all that different in that respect either,**


End file.
